Nigel Farage furious at BBC presenter's bizarre attack - 'what happened to impartiality?'

Nigel Farage has called into question the impartiality of BBC News Channel after one of its presenters passed judgement on the language he was using during a campaign speech in Dover.

As the sound faded down on the Reform UK honorary president's speech, Geeta Guru-Murthy attempted to describe the scene for viewers.

Rather than impartially stating that the former UKIP leader was delivering a speech about immigration on the south coast of England, the anchor accused the 60-year-old of using "customary inflammatory language".

It transpired that the political campaigner-turned-GB News presenter was quoting the Polish prime minister Donald Tusk.

Mr Tusk, who was former president of the European Council, had previously said, according to Mr Farage, that "aggressive young males", who had crossed the Mediterranean, were flooding into Poland and that it was a threat to national security.

It appears the quotes from Mr Tusk that the Brexit architect was referring to came after a Polish cabinet meeting earlier this month, in which the prime minister accused Belarus of funneling men from north Africa and the Middle East into Poland, in an effort to undermine the security of NATO's eastern flank.

The 67-year-old, discussing the inadequacy of a border fence erected between Poland and Belarus, said: "This fence does not meet our expectations. The Border Guard and the army have both approached me during my visit to the Polish-Belarussian border and spoken about the need to strengthen defenses in that area. That plan is the bare minimum."

Claiming that the men were being pushed into Poland as a means of destablising a key NATO player, he added: " These are not refugees, there are less and less migrants.

"In eighty cases out of a hundred, we are dealing with organised groups of very aggressive young men between the ages of 18 and 30."

Mr Farage said of Mr Tusk's remarks: "I put it to you that if it's a matter of national security in Poland, I think what we ought to be doing with this situation here is declaring a national security emergency".

Following Ms Guru-Murthy's comments, Mr Farage took to X to call into question her impartiality and that of BBC News Channel.

He wrote: "What happened to impartiality @Geetagurumurthy and @bbcpress?

"BBC News presenter, Geeta, just accused me of ‘customary inflammatory language’ when I was quoting Polish PM Donald Tusk at a press conference."

Reform UK leader Richard Tice branded the episode "disgraceful" and warned a "formal complaint is being prepared" to the regulator Ofcom.

He added: "Just imagine if @GBNEWS displayed such bias?".

Around ten minutes after her comments, the presenter, who is paid by the taxpayer-funded national broadcaster, was forced to row back, saying: "Now an apology. Earlier today we heard live from Nigel Farage, speaking at that election event we just saw.

"When we came away from his live speech, I used language to describe it which didn’t meet the BBC’s editorial standards on impartiality. I’d like to apologise to Mr Farage and viewers for this."